Indexing Society of Canada

How to Start a Member-Initiated Group

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A member-initiated group (MIG) is managed and led by an ISC/SCI member, not necessarily a committee or executive committee member, for the purpose of learning and networking with other members. Examples: a group studying a software manual or a discussion group on an indexing book.

MIGs provide opportunities for members to learn, communicate and collaborate with each other. It’s one more benefit of membership.

MIGs have two possible structures:

An open group that members can drop in and out of at any time

A group that members can join by a certain date, and after that date, the group is full (e.g., for a book discussion)

The group may only be initiated by an ISC/SCI member, but the group may have non-ISC/SCI members.

To start a group, first put out a call for participants on the ISC/SCI email list (ISC-L). Then contact your regional representative. Together with your regional rep, you will fill out a form and find and reserve a slot for meetings on our Zoom platform.

ISC/SCI Members Receive the DReam to Index Scholarship

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Congratulations to Matthew MacLellan, Jessica MacLeod, and Laurel Rush of ISC/SCI, and Heather Pendley of ASI on their win of the DReam to Index Scholarship.

From the DReam to Index team:

The four recipients of 2022 DReam to Index scholarships intend to use the funds for either the Indexing Society of Canada (ISC/SCI) virtual conference (scheduled for May 12–14) or for the American Society for Indexing (ASI) virtual conference (scheduled for April 29–30).  

In 2018, the Friends of Dave established a fund to honor David K. Ream who passed away at the end of 2017.  Dave, who was well known throughout the indexing communities of the world, provided computer-programming, database construction, and typesetting to indexers and abstractors for more than 30 years. Dave gave so much to the field of indexing and was especially interested in helping indexers succeed in their work.  That is why we have chosen to honor him by recognizing new people coming to the field and helping them on their indexing journey.

Thank you to all of the contestants who applied for the 2022 scholarship. Friends of Dave wish much success to them all in their future indexing careers.

The recipients of future DReam to Index scholarships can apply the funds to national conferences of the American Society for Indexing, Society of Indexers, Indexing Society of Canada, Australian and New Zealand Society of Indexers, or Association of South African Indexers and Bibliographers. In 2023, the DReam to Index scholarships will be offered for the final time using the same criteria – for more information about Dave Ream and the scholarships please see www.dreamtoindex.com.

ISC/SCI Has a New Co-President

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Changes afoot …! The executive committee has accepted Jason’s resignation and asked Tere Mullin to step up from her position as Eastern Region representative to become co-president with Alexandra Peace.

Please join me in wishing Jason well and welcoming Tere to her new position.

Jason Begy

After a wonderful nine or so months of serving as co-president with Alex, I am stepping down. A career opportunity has come up that is simply too good for me to pass on, but it will require all of my focus and attention. The ISC/SCI has been an invaluable aspect of my indexing career, and I have especially enjoyed these past few years as part of the executive committee. I leave you in Alex’s exceptionally capable hands, and I hope you’ll join me in welcoming Tere Mullin as she steps-in to take over for me.

Tere Mullin

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

It’s lovely to be saying hello to you as your new co-president. I’m honoured and delighted to have this opportunity, and I’m very much looking forward to serving you as I learn and grow within this role.

I am relatively new to indexing, having started working full-time in early 2021. I enjoy working in a variety of scholarly subject areas within the humanities and social sciences, particularly archaeology and anthropology. Although I came to indexing quite by accident, as many people seem to, I now can’t imagine doing anything else. My involvement with ISC/ISC has grown in tandem with my indexing practice, and I’ve had the privilege of serving as Eastern regional representative and coordinator of the Mary Newberry Mentorship Program. I feel truly fortunate to be a member of this supportive and dynamic community, and I hope to pay it forward. I look forward to meeting you all at the next get-together. Until then, I wish you all a joyous spring!

New Indexer Resources Page

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The New Indexers’ Resources Committee (NIRC) is happy to announce the launch of its New Indexer Resources page!

The New Indexer Resources page will be accessible via the ISC/SCI website, indexers.ca, and will provide answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs), as well as links to external resources. New and aspiring indexers will find a wealth of information on topics such as client relations, money management, software, taxes, and much more.

Content on the page will continue to grow as FAQs are added, and visitors are encouraged to submit their own questions and/or answers if they so wish. Our hope is that the page evolves based on users’ needs.